Preparing for your appointment

While you may initially bring your symptoms to the attention of your family doctor, he or she may refer you to a doctor specializing in conditions related to arthritis (rheumatologist), in sports medicine or in orthopedic surgery.

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to write a list that answers the following questions:

Have you injured your knee recently? If so, describe the injury in detail.

Do you play recreational sports? If so, what sports?

Do you have any type of arthritis?

Has your knee felt warm or looked red? Do you have a fever?

Do you have a family history of autoimmune disease?

What to expect from your doctor

During the physical exam, your doctor will need to press on different parts of your knee to check for pain and swelling. He or she will also ask you to try to move your knee into different positions to check your range of motion.

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